Ksar Fatal completes a double for Barry Connell Ksar Fatal overcame a lengthy lay-off to make a winning start over hurdles and in the process complete a double on the afternoon for trainer Barry Connell in the EVAD Technology Group Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown. The point-to-point winner took a bumper in fine style for Willie Mullins last spring and was well supported at 11/8 for this extended 2m3f event. Sean Flanagan’s mount and 10/11 favourite Dani Donadoni had the race between them in the straight and Ksar Fatal edged left to slightly impeded his rival on the run-in before keeping on well to score by two and a quarter lengths. Strange Currency was 13 lengths back in third. The result was confirmed following a stewards enquiry. Connell, who also won the featured Grand National Trial with My Immortal, said, “He won well. He’s just a green horse, and it’s his first time over hurdles. “He hasn’t run for nine months. He was working with the slow horse that won the National Trial! I don’t know what that tells you. “He’s an exciting horse. He’ll have two more runs over hurdles this year and then we’ll go jumping a fence. He’s very good to jump. He’s by a very good sire, Buck’s Boum. “I think what we’re looking at is the Grade 2 in Fairyhouse in seven weeks’ time. If everything went well there, he could come back to Punchestown for the 2m4f Grade 1. “That’ll be him then under wraps until he goes jumping a fence next year. “Willie’s horse was second in Cork, and the winner came out and won a Grade 3 in Gowran yesterday. “If it was a month ago you might be thinking about going to Cheltenham but for a horse that is going chasing, I don’t think we need to be going there. There are some lovely targets at home.” Quotes by Gary Carson
